adj
distinctive
dih-STIHNGK-tihv
adj
1
Serving to mark something as different or recognizable; characteristic.
"The bird has a distinctive red patch on its head."
"She has a distinctive way of writing dialogue."
How to Use Distinctive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHaving a quality that makes something easy to recognize and set apart from others.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "distinct," which just means "separate" or "different" without implying recognisability.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
distinctive style
distinctive feature
distinctive flavor
Word Forms
more distinctive comparative, distinctives plural, most distinctive superlative
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The bird has a _____ red patch on its head.
Etymology
From Latin distinctus + -ive.